5 Biggest Commercial Janitorial Companies In USA

04. Ecolab Inc. (NYSE:ECL)

Market Capitalization as of November 18, 2022: $42.13 billion

Ecolab Inc. (NYSE:ECL) was founded in 1923 and is based in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Ecolab Inc. (NYSE:ECL) provides water, hygiene, and infection prevention solutions and services in the United States and internationally. The company operates through Global Industrial, Global Institutional & Specialty, and Global Healthcare & Life Sciences segments. During Q3 2022, The Gates Foundation increased its position in Ecolab Inc. (NYSE:ECL) by 12%. The fund currently owns over 4.8 million shares in the company, worth $702.8 million. The company accounted for 2.06% of Bill Gates’ portfolio.

Ecolab Inc. (NYSE:ECL) holds one of the strongest dividend policies. The company has been paying dividends on its common stock for the past 85 years and has raised its payouts for 30 years in a row. It currently offers a quarterly dividend of $0.51 per share and has a dividend yield of 1.38%, as of November 17.

On November 3, BMO Capital analyst John McNulty lowered his price target on Ecolab Inc. (NYSE:ECL) to $143 from $169 and kept a Market Perform rating on the shares. The analyst cites the company’s lower-than-expected Q3 earnings and guidance, adding that even though Ecolab Inc. (NYSE:ECL) appears to be setting a low bar, he remains on the sidelines as expectations need to reflect a number of its end markets coming under extreme pressure.